Automatic shut-off for gas burners



Oct. 21, 1930.

J. A.IL. DETERS AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR GAS BURNERS Filed Jan. 23,

W vim ATTOR-NEY Patented Oct. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. I. DETERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR GAS BURNEBS Application filed January 23, 1928. Serial No. 248,896.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in automaticshut ofls for gas burners and the like.

The salient object of my invention is to provide a shut off device for gas burners or the like which will automatically function to shut off the gas supply to a burner in the event the flame thereof is extinguished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which will be arranged in such a manner that the burner may be used with or without the automatic feature above described.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the device in such a manner that it will embody indicating 'means in order that the user of the device mayreadily ascertain whetheror not the device is arranged for automatic operation. I

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel-corn bination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying, drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which: V

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a gas burner with which a preferred embodiment of my invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational'view of the device as illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional'view'taken substantially on the line 33 on Fig. 1 showing the valve in open position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially' on the line 4 -4 on Fig. 3; and

Fig 5 is a'perspective detail view depicting a sleeve employed, in my device.

Referringto the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, 10 indicates a burner which in: the present instance is removably mounted on a supporting rod 11 that is carried by the 5 frame of the stove with which the burner is associated. The burner 10 includes a mixing chambe1' 12 which is connected to the main portion of the burner 10 byia supply pipe 13. .Theforward, end of the. mixing ea chamber 12- :embodies. the usual adjustable air admitting arrangement 14 and has a cen-r which is adapted to extend through the opening 15 in the arrangementl l.

A passage 22 extends through the portion 19 and a passage 23 extends through the portion 20 and these passages are adapted to be connected by the port 24 provided in the valve stem 25. A tapered bore 26 is provided in the body portion 18 and the tapered valve stem 25 is mounted therein. The valve stem 25 is reduced at its lower end portion and a nut 27 is screw threadedly mounted thereon which engages a protruding-portion of the body member 18 and by tightening, the nut 27-the valve stem 25 may be brought into wedging engagement with the taperedbore 26. The valve stem 25 is rotatable and thus the port 24 may be moved into or out of registration with the passages 22 and 23.

The bore 26 terminates in a boss 28 formed on the body portion 18 and an enlarged recess 29 is provided in this body portion 28. A pin 30. is mounted so as to have a ortion thereof extending into the recess 29. sleeve 31' is disposed'around the valve stem 25 and has a slot 32 formed therein which is adapted to be disposed around the pin 30 when the sleeve 31 is disposed so as to have thelower end portion thereof resting in the recess 29. Opposite the hose 28, a hollow boss 33is provided through which the reduced portion of the valve stem-25 extends. A spring 34 is disposed around the reduced portion of the valve stem 25 in the hollow portion ofthe boss 33 and onelegthereof'is anchored in an opening in the walls of said boss as indicated at 35 in the, drawings. A, slot 36, is provided inthe-lowerend portionofthe $2111 25. and

cludes a the opposite end of the spring 34 is anchored in this slot. This slot also causes expansion of this portion of the stem 25 so as to lock the nut 27 in position. The spring 84; acts on the valve stem 25 so as to urge said valve stem in a direction such. that the port a will be held out of registration with the passages 22 and 23 or particularly so as to hold the valve in closed position.

Adjacent the upper end of the valve stem 25, a tapered hole is provided. A. slot 38 is provided in the sleeve 31 and said slot and said opening are ad registrar" grip 4:0 is adapted grip 40 being retaineo on said stein p0 rtion between the headed end thereof washer i1 is forced into engagement v.

end of said portion 40 by nut 12. A washer 43 of suitable resilient material. is disposed between the nut 42 and the sleeve 31. lhe threaded portion A of the stem 39 is adapted to be mounted in the tapped hole by turning the stem portion as to bring opposite ends of the opening 37 into registration with the slot 38 and by inserting the portion through said slot into said opening. It is apparent that the spring 3% may be wound so as to embody various tensions.

At a point diametrically opposed to juncture of the supply pipe 13 on the uoper side of the burner 10, a suitable recess &5 provided. A thermically extensible rod l6 provided which includes a right angularl extending portion 47 that is adapted to be extended into the recess The rod 46 e2;- tends across the the burner 10 and is directed through a supporting sleeve 4:6 provided adjacent the forw edge of the burner. The forward end of the rod 46 is screw threaded indicat d at 4:8 and an interiorly threaded collar is mounted thereon. The collar 49 is provided with an insulating ring 50 which is adapted to permit expeditious movement of the collar 49 even when the same is heated. Adjustably mounted at the forward end of the sleeve is a resilient engaging button 51 which is adapted to be adjusted along the sleeve 49 by means of the set screw 52.

Formed or. the gripping portion 420 of the handle construction as by painting thereon is an indicating marker 53, the purpose of which will be brought forth presently.

l\ormally the spring tends to hold the valve closed. However when the valve is manually opened by gripping the handle portion L0 so as to turn the valve stem and thus bring the port 24: into registration with the passages 22 and may be supplied to the burner 10 which will be ignited in the usual nianrer. Suflicient tension will. be e3; erted between the washer A3 a -d the s eeve 31 to retain the handle 40 in various adjusted positions, this tension being great enough to overcome the action of the spring 34;. Under these conditions the marker 53 is disposed so as to be viewed in plan view as indicated in Fig. 1. Operation of the burner 10 will act to heat the rod 46 and cause thermal expansion thereof. This will cause the engaging button 51 to engage the juxtaposed portion of tie sleeve andthls sleeve 31 is preferably made of resilient material. Therefore said sleeve will be pressed against said valve stem and will tend to hold said valve stem against the action of the spring 84. After a predetermined riod has elapsed which will afford suihcient time for the rod 46 to expand a distance great enough to cause this engagement between sleeve 81 and the valve stem 25, the hanole portion 40 is rotated in a direction so to retract the washer 43 from enwith the sleeve 31. This will dispose the marker from a position such that it mav be viewed in plan view and will thererore indicate that the extensible automatic members are holding the valve 25 open. in the event that the burner 10 be extinguished, the rod ll) will cool which will cause retraction of the button 51 from engagement wi h the sleeve 81 which will permit disenomen-t of said sleeve from the valve stem which will allow the spring 3% to close the valve. is apparent that the valve may be closed manually by proper manipulation of the handle therefore. it is also apparent that by moving the sleeve 19 along the screw threads l-S the actuation of the button 51 may be controlled and varied.

iVhile l have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eliect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avil myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the a pended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a controlling valve for gas burners and the like, a member having passages formed therein, a rotatable valve stem hava port therein adapted to establish communication between said passages, means for urging said valve stem from said communication establishing position, a sleeve disposed around said valve stem, a handle movably mounted in said valve stem and extending through a slot in said sleeve and adapted to engage said sleeve to hold said valve stem in said communicating position, and a thermically extensible member adapted to engage and force said sleeve into engagement with said valve stem to hold said stem in said position when said handle is moved from engaging position.

2. In combination with a gas burner, a

valve for controlling the gas supply thereto having an elongated stem, a sleeve disposed around said'stem, and a thermically extensive rod extending across and anchored to said burner adapted to engage said sleeve and hold said stem in open position when said rod is heated, and manually adjustable means for holding said stem in open position, said means being adapted to be retracted from engaging position after said thermically operated means engages said sleeve.

3. In combination with a gas burner, a valve for controlling the gas supply thereto having an elongated stem, a sleeve disposed around said stem, and a thermically extensive rod extending across and anchored to said burner adapted to engage said sleeve i operable only upon release of said manually operable retaining means to retain the valve in its position while the burner is lighted and release it for closing by said first named means when the burner is extinguished.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN A. L. DETERSL 

